New Beginnings
by Laine
Summary: After Meteor, we find Vincent Valentine lamenting (on his own, of course), remembering the past, and discovering new truths...


Disclaimer: I don't own Vincent (damn), or anything else Squaresoft-related in this fic. Don't sue... blah blah... it's all the same.

Notes: I just wasn't really satisfied with the ending I got from the game so I wrote up this little one-shot fic (it was originally part of a multi-chapter fic, but that didn't exactly work out). I'm not really planning on making a sequel, or more chapters or anything like that right now, but I will eventually. You know, unimportant things like school happen to get in the way. ^^

Author: Laine 

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**New Beginnings**

It had been two years already since Hojo's death, and many more since he had been experimented on. The time passed quickly, seeming to leave no indelible mark on him; neither physically, nor emotionally. It seemed that he was standing still and watching as everything passed him by. Like clouds in the sky overhead. But he was alone. It's not that he minded, for being anti-social came easy to him. After all, instincts and old habits died hard.   
  
He gazed up into the night sky, his long red cape billowing in the wind. His hair, which flowed down past his shoulders, was as black as the night itself. A lock of his hair fell into his eyes, and he brushed it away with a fierce looking claw which glowed unnaturally in the moonlight.   
  
Vincent Valentine sighed, his crimson eyes downcast as he stood upon the flat rocks atop of the waterfall which hid Lucrecia's cave. He could hear the wind whistling through the small cracks in the precipice, surrounding him. It almost seemed as if it was calling his name.

"Vincent..." The wind whispered, all around him. Vincent lowered his head.

"Lucrecia," he spoke softly, "I am so sorry. I failed you... your son..." As he stared at the water falling down the rocks before him, memories of his one, true love came flooding back to him. Her long silky hair, her bright shining eyes, her soft lips...

In the silence of his solitude, Vincent had come to terms with many things that he had not been given the chance to before. After all, what had really been thirty years, had only seemed like days to his tortured mind. It had been foolish to blame himself for Lucrecia's choice to stay with Hojo. She was a grown woman, capable of making her own decisions. Yet those same decisions had torn her from his arms and led her to the crazed scientist.

At the time, he had told himself that his actions, or lack thereof, were justified. He had offered her himself, his world, and she had refused him, and turned him aside without an explanation. Any man, even a reasonable one, would not have been able to look past the blow to his pride. Especially not a Turk, not a man who had vowed to never open himself up in that way to another. But he had, and look where it had gotten him. He had hated himself the entire nine months before the birth of Lucrecia's child, hated himself with a dark passion. Lucrecia had played him for the fool, and he had no one to blame but himself for letting her.

He knew he had never stopped caring though. Deep down, in a place he was surprised to find held emotion, he had still loved her. He always would. The very thought manifested itself in many ways that were irritating, and very hurtful until it was all he could think about. He would often find himself looking over his shoulder, expecting her to be there. Or times when he discovered something and found himself start forward with the intention of telling her of it. A distant laugh would remind him of just how much he had enjoyed hearing Lucrecia express her joy, even if it wasn't meant for him. The way a stranger might hold her head, move her hands, or walk would cause him to envision her. It was maddening. She was his in his memories, in his dreams and nightmares, yet she had always been Hojo's in the flesh. She did not belong to him anymore, she never would. And he knew why.

Vincent fell to his knees, the painful memories of his past suddenly becoming too much for him to bear. He struck his metal claw against the rocks beneath him in frustration. Tiny cracks began to form where his claw had connected with the ground, but he paid them no heed as he knelt there. He watched the trees of the dense forest beneath the waterfall sway gently in the evening breeze. He scowled at the scene before him, taking no pleasure in the starry skies or the beautiful waters below.

"I have failed the only woman that I ever loved. I could have saved her, and the entire planet from all it's pain..." Vincent looked down at the cracked rocks under his feet. "It is only right that I must suffer the rest of my life like... this..." With that said, Vincent glanced down at his left arm, which was hanging limply by his side. There the menacing, golden claw shone, reflecting the light of the moon into his red eyes. It was a memory of what Hojo had done to him so long ago. 'But he didn't leave it at that...' he thought bitterly, shaking his head. He knew that although no one could see it, there were strange things flowing inside of him. The blood of monsters coursed through his veins, giving him enhanced vision and eyesight, the ability to transform into the ultimate demon of destruction, Chaos. 'And this blessing in disguise, known to others as immortality.' Vincent snorted with disdain. He was forced to live the rest of his days, as long as they may be, knowing that he could have prevented the death of his only true love, and he would have to do it, alone.

It was on learning of what he had become, no, what Hojo had made him, over thirty years ago, that had caused him to pull himself away from society, away from people, away from everything that had once mattered to him. He didn't want to see anyone or anything, or let anyone see him as the monster he was. Vincent frowned, remembering that day when he awoke in the laboratory in the basement of the Nibelheim mansion.

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He remembered the intense rage that came over him once he had brought his eyes upon the menacing claw that was attached below his left elbow. He had torn the room to shreds, and like a madman he overturned tables, breaking lab equipment, pulling books off their shelves. Once he had broken everything in the lab, his anger subsided and he stumbled from the bright room into the dark cavernous hallways of the mansion's basement. There was an open door, and fell to his knees in front of it, weak with a sudden exhaustion. He crawled slowly into the room, and saw that it was full of coffins. All were a deep plum colour with the red Shinra logo etched onto the lids. All were sealed shut, except for one, at the very back of the room. Vincent made his way over to it, looking down inside. It was empty.

His tired eyes began to close, and he found himself crawling closer to the coffin, as if he was somehow drawn to its soft, smooth interior. 'It looks so warm...' Vincent thought absent-mindedly. Without even realizing it, his head collided with the side of the coffin. Vincent shook his head groggily, and looked up at the dark wood, his eyes focusing on a small plaque on the side. Engraved on the plaque were the words: _Vincent Valentine. Experiment #6725._

Vincent's heart sank. it was bad enough to have Hojo perform his barbaric experiments on him, but the fact that he didn't even expect him to live through it, for him to think he was so weak...

"I would be better off dead anyway, as a monster like this." he muttered to himself as he climbed into the empty coffin. The dark interior strangely comforted Vincent as he lay inside and pulled the lid over his head. He sighed. "This body is... my punishment... I was unable... to stop Hojo... I was unable to stop them... Lucrecia..." He cradled his claw in his good hand, staring into the darkness that now surrounded him.

His last thoughts were of his beloved before he closed his eyes and drifted into a slumber that would last him over thirty years...

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A cold, biting wind blew around Vincent. His long black hair flew into his face, almost startling him out of his reverie and bringing him back to the present. The rushing water below him was loud in his ears. Vincent sighed, as the memories of Nibelheim faded into the night. Still, as hard as he tried to forget, the laughing face of Hojo could not leave his mind.

"I would be better off dead. Isn't that right Hojo? Isn't that what you planned? Yes, then perhaps I can rest in peace, without the nightmares to plague me..." He rose to his feet, a determined glare in his red eyes. "I have no reason to live now that Hojo is gone, as is Sephiroth... as is my only love." He now stood at the edge of the rocks, looking down at the waterfall and into the dark forest below.

"Lucrecia, forgive me for what I am about to do... perhaps I shall see you soon." Vincent whispered closing his eyes as he took a step forward. All of a sudden, a huge gust of wind blew into him, knocking him off his feet, and away from the edge of the rocks.

_"Vincent..."_ He glared up at the open sky, sitting up.

'Even the weather mocks me. The Planet itself will not let me die, Hojo, and rid the world of this monster that you created! I will never be able to put an end to the torture I have had to endure for so long...' Vincent shook his fist at the night sky. "You may have taken my body, my life as your prisoner! But I will not let you take my soul!" He shouted aloud. The sound of his pain filled voice echoed across the fields and forest below. 'No... I must deserve this Lucrecia. Forgive me...'

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Vincent stayed on the rocks for over an hour, simply looking up at the stars in the night sky. The soothing sounds of the rushing water and the rustling of the leaves on the trees in the forest below put his weary mind at rest. He lay down on his back on the cold rocks beneath him, placing his hands behind his head. He closed his eyes to all that was around him. 'I think I shall just lie here, forever,' he mused, 'I am better off alone, away from all people, away from all things living. No one would care if I left, I do not care... I have nothing left to care for...'

For a brief moment, Vincent's thoughts turned to his friends, the group called Avalanche that had defeated the Shinra, and Sephiroth. He remembered how in their final battle, he could only stand there and watch, much to their obvious astonishment. He knew that he could not bring himself to harm the son of his beloved Lucrecia, but they went ahead and killed him, without his help.

'No, they would not miss me, they are far too absorbed in their own happy lives,' He thought bitterly, 'They wouldn't care.' Vincent stood again, reaching into his pocket to pull out his PHS. He gazed at it wistfully, recalling the time when he had actually used it, when it seemed like they cared...

"I won't be needing this-" At that, Vincent took his PHS and threw it as far as he could. He watched it fall some distance away, then into the depths of the water below. 'Perhaps I should return to my sleep...' Vincent thought of his coffin in the mansion in Nibelheim, though only for a moment as he stretched his arms above his head. Then he started the long descent down the side of the cliff, sometimes wondering what should happen if he were to fall... With a frown, he shook those thoughts from his head, as he reached the bottom, and he gazed up at the beautiful waterfall that loomed before him.

"This place..." A smile played upon Vincent's lips, but faded as quickly as it came as he started towards the falls. He saw the familiar outcropping of rocks, jutting out of the water. With a quick leap, he landed effortlessly on the rock, his red cape flying behind him. Vincent made his way behind the falling water, with the swiftness and agility of one who had traveled the path many times before. In fact he came here every month after Sephiroth's death, hoping to see her again as he did with Cloud... but she never came.

He crept into the cave behind the waterfall, his blood red eyes scanning his surroundings. He let his right hand trail along the jagged walls, listening to the slow, dripping of water from the ceilings in the dim cave. Vincent made barely a sound as he walked through the deep caverns behind the waterfall, towards the place he and his love found as a refuge from the harsh reality around them so long ago.

Vincent finally came upon an altar, rather a slab of stone that served as a bench. On one side there were two names inside a heart etched into the stone; he didn't need to see the carving to know what it said. "Lucrecia, my love... "Vincent mumbled, closing his eyes as he let his fingertips trace the names carved into the altar. There was a sudden gust of wind from behind the tall figure, rustling his cape and his long black hair as he stood there, his his eyes shut tight as he could only think of his lost love. 'Yes, this is where I shall stay-'

"Vincent..." This time it was not the wind, he knew. Vincent's eyes fluttered open at the sound of his name. He spun around, quickly drawing his gun from the holster at his hip. His mouth fell open, his crimson eyes widened to twice their size. The gun in his hand dropped to the floor with a clatter. Standing before him, in a halo of white light was the woman he loved more than life itself, Lucrecia.

"Lu... Lu-" Vincent stammered, staring at the beautiful woman dressed all in white. She smiled at him and reached for him with her right hand. Vincent hesitated for only a moment before placing his good hand in hers. He was mildly surprised to find that it was solid, and not a transparent mist, which is what he expected the spirits of the dead to be like. As he held her hand, Lucrecia grew more life-like, and Vincent felt her grip his hand even tighter. "It's really you..." He said in awe.

Lucrecia only shook her head, smiling all the while. "It is me, and yet..." She trailed off as she looked around her at the cavern that seemed to have brightened after her appearance. She turned back to Vincent, "I have finally found you Vincent." She gazed into Vincent's face, bringing her free hand up to brush a stray lock of hair away from his forehead.

Vincent's face betrayed none of the emotions that he was feeling. He was overjoyed at Lucrecia's return, and yet, he was ashamed that he could not have prevented her death, and was equally frustrated in knowing that he could not be with her, ever... thanks to Hojo. He did not want to hurt her. He removed his hand from hers. "You may have found me, but... you are lost to me forever."

Lucrecia's smile faded. "Vincent, that's not true." She whispered, reaching for his hand again. Instead he raised his golden claw and gazed at it.

"There is no afterlife for monsters like myself. Hojo has seen to that." Vincent felt horrible for saying this, but he knew that though he loved her with all his heart, he would never be able to stay with her, or she with him because of what Hojo had made him. He frowned and turned his head, averting his eyes from the woman beside him.

"Vincent, you are by far, the most wonderful, most beautiful person I know," Lucrecia said softly, reaching up to stroke Vincent's cold, pale cheek. She held his chin in her hands and turned his head to face her own. "Don't talk as though you were a monster." At Vincent's silence, she continued. "Vincent, you don't have to do this, don't keep yourself distant and withdrawn from the others, you're only hurting yourself."   
  
"Perhaps," Vincent struggled to keep his tone devoid of all life and feeling, "Perhaps it is better this way, that I should suffer the rest of my life without you... I'm forced to live out my monster's life and wait for... whatever shall overcome me, if anything at all. Lucrecia, my life's quest was to bring justice to those who wronged you, but all I ever wanted was... was to be with you." Vincent looked longingly into Lucrecia's shining green eyes before turning his back to her. "I suppose even that is too much... thus the monster must live his life alone..."   
  
Lucrecia sighed, "I... I cannot force you to change." She let out a small laugh, "You were always very stubborn Vincent. But there is another reason why I returned..." She put a small hand on Vincent's shoulder. "And you are not alone, you know. You still have your friends-"   
  
"They do not care what happens to me." Vincent muttered, as he stared at the dirty cavern floor.   
  
Lucrecia shook her head, "You know that's not true Vincent." He made no reply. "Vincent, I want you to help those that are in need, it is the only way for you to realize that others care for you... that I still care for you..."   
  
Vincent turned and stared at Lucrecia, his face dark. "I can't help anyone until I have atoned for my sins..."   
  
"But Vincent, you have atoned. You brought the wrongdoers to justice, you saved the planet! You shouldn't hide yourself away thinking that you are the only one who is suffering. There are many people out there that can help you, and are in need of your help." Lucrecia turned and began walking towards the entrance of the cave. Vincent followed her. She stood directly in front of the falling water and pointed. There is a whole world of people out there for you to help, waiting for _you_. Do you see the people Vincent? Do you her them crying?"   
  
Vincent's brow furrowed, he had no idea what Lucrecia was saying. "Who?" He asked, looking hard at the falling water, as if he could actually see behind it. Even with his enhanced vision, he was unable to see anything but the water. He squinted his eyes, trying to focus on the falls.   
  
Lucrecia gently touched Vincent's arm. "Many people are in need of your help."   
  
"How can I help them? I don't even-"   
  
"You can help them Vincent, and they will come to help you in return." Vincent gave Lucrecia a questioning glance.   
  
"Lucrecia, I don't understand. I don't know anyone out there. I don't _want_ to. How are they to help me? They can't possibly know anything about me, or my... situation." He told the angelic woman, searching her face for some semblance of an answer.

A mournful expression crossed her delicate features. "No, many things aren't supposed to end up the way they do." She said vaguely. She looked away from Vincent, a sad smile on her face. "You know, he could have been... someone could have helped him... bring him happiness in his days of hurt and loneliness."   
  
Vincent raised an eyebrow realizing that he was treading on very uncertain grounds. "Sephiroth?"   
  
Lucrecia shook her head sadly and went on, almost as if she didn't hear him. "But she knew him so well then, better than I... even though..." She let out a bitter laugh. She turned back to Vincent, her face firm. "There is something about that girl..." Vincent could only stare.   
  
"What-"   
  
"Sephiroth..." Lucrecia sighed and rubbed her forehead, as if feeling suddenly weak.   
  
"Lucrecia, what is it? What about Sephiroth... have you... have you seen him?" Lucrecia nodded, a smile forming on her lips once again.   
  
"I have spoken to Sephiroth since he came into the lifestream... I tried to tell him... he didn't believe me at first. He still doesn't understand what has been done to him... that it was Jenova controlling him. He doesn't realize that what he has done caused so much pain and grief for so many people... even the ones he loved..."   
  
Vincent's red eyes widened. "Sephiroth... loved? Who?" Lucrecia lowered her eyes to the ground.   
  
"Yes. My son was able to love, for a time. Before he went mad in his youth, he loved two people dearly, more than anything else in the world." Lucrecia sighed and looked back up at Vincent. "Professor Gast and... He was the father he never had. The only one who cared for him when he was a child, until Hojo's twisted experiments-" Her voice suddenly shook with undeniable fury. "He... he... it was all his fault! He ruined my son! He could have had a normal life..." Lucrecia collapsed into Vincent's arms, and he held her tight. Sobs racked her body as she wrapped her arms around his waist.   
  
"Lucrecia, he's gone... Hojo is gone for good. You are safe now... Sephiroth is safe. In time I am sure he will understand." Vincent said in a soothing voice. Lucrecia leaned back to gaze into his deep crimson eyes. He took his good hand and wiped a tear from her cheek. "Just give him some time." He added to himself, 'I know things like this take forever...'   
  
Lucrecia went on again, as if he hadn't said a word. Vincent looked on, worried and afraid that she was hurting too much, that she might leave him again. But she glanced up at him, and spoke. "Still, I forgave him. He is my son after all... I have seen my son. I had the chance to hold him... he was a little confused at first, but..." Her eyes began to mist over, and Vincent could tell that she was again on the verge of tears. She took a deep breath. "But he is not as happy as I am to see him. He won't accept all that I have to tell him, though it is the truth."   
  
Vincent said nothing. He knew the situation all too well. 'Not accepting what is the truth... that's the story of my life.' He thought sadly.   
  
Lucrecia recognized the look on his pale face. "I want you to help them." She said quickly, indicating the falls. "I have a feeling it is the key to getting Sephiroth to realize who he truly is. Please Vincent." She took Vincent's hand in her own.   
  
"What? But I-"   
  
"You will find out for yourself." She simply said. "Just trust me on this Vincent."   
  
Vincent stared at the soft white hand that was holding his. "I still don't understand any of this!" Vincent cleared his throat. "I can't help all these people you say I can. And they can't help me. No one would be able to help a monster like myself... They would most likely run away screaming at the sight of me." He began to pull his hand away from Lucrecia, but she held on tight.   
  
"You are not a monster, and you will be able to help them, and they you... You and Sephiroth are both alike, that I can tell. You are both alone. You are both searching... I wish you could have met him." At this the woman's figure began to fade away, and Vincent felt her grip on his hand loosen.   
  
"Wait! Don't leave!" He cried, seeing her float up into the air, fading and becoming one with the mist from the water falling before him. "How are we alike? Why... Lucrecia! Don't leave me again..." Vincent hung his head, his black hair, like the waterfall, flowing down his shoulders. For the first time in his life, tears could be seen falling openly down his face. "Lucrecia..." He whispered, staring into the empty space where the woman had stood only moments before. "Wait! Tell him... tell him-"   
  
"You shall see what is to come... Vincent... this is my last wish... Live your life the way it was meant to be, laugh, cry, even love... Thanks to you, I can now rest in peace." Lucrecia's voice was soft, and comforting, and it was the last Vincent ever heard of her. Tears streaming down his face, Vincent got to his feet. Her sweet voice echoed in his ears, 'Thanks to you... I can rest in peace.' The sound of falling water roared behind him.

"Tell him that I'm sorry." Vincent whispered to the empty cavern. He stood there for a moment, unable to move, as if to savor his last moments with Lucrecia forever. It was only moments later that he shook his head and he wiped the fallen tears from his wet cheeks. Vincent stepped out of the cave, out from behind the waterfall and into the fresh night air. He took a deep breath, staring at the world around him with wide eyes. The eyes of a new man. The eyes of a man with a future, a purpose in life. The wish of Vincent's only love had become his purpose. He would sooner die than fail her again.

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Notes: So maybe Vincent's a little OOC here... not to mention this whole fic is one big cliché (!) especially when considering the name of the bloody thing. *arg* Oh well, what's done is done. Even if you hate it, feel free to review and say _something_. 


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